Harlequinmania

The skimmer look power ! Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Click through to see the images. Although coral reefs grow under the sea it seems that they have been responding to changes in the concentration of particulate pollution in the atmosphere, according to a paper published in the journal Nature Geoscience by a team of climate scientists and coral ecologists from the UK, Australia and Panama. Corals are colonies of simple animal cells but most rely on photosynthetic algae for their energy and nutrients. Lead author Lester Kwiatkowski, a PhD student from Mathematics at the University of Exeter, said: “Coral reefs are the most diverse of all ocean ecosystems with up to 25% of ocean species depending on them for food and shelter. They are believed to be vulnerable to climate change and ocean acidification, but ours is the first study to show a clear link between coral growth and the concentration of particulate pollution in the atmosphere.” Dr Paul Halloran of the Met Office Hadley Centre explained: “Particulate pollution or ‘aerosols’ reflect incoming sunlight and make clouds brighter. This can reduce the light available for coral photosynthesis, as well as the temperature of surrounding waters. Together these factors are shown to slow down coral growth.” The authors used a combination of records retrieved from within the coral skeletons, observations from ships, climate model simulations and statistical modelling. Their analysis shows that coral growth rates in the Caribbean were affected by volcanic aerosol emissions in the early 20th century and by aerosol emissions caused by humans in the later 20th century. The researchers hope that this work will lead to a better understanding of how coral growth may change in the future, taking into account not just future carbon dioxide levels, but also localised sources of aerosols such as industry or farming. Professor Peter Mumby of the University of Queensland put the study in the context of global environmental change: “Our study suggests that coral ecosystems are likely to be sensitive to not only the future global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration but also the regional aerosol emissions associated with industrialisation and decarbonisation.” The study was financially supported by a NERC grant, the University of Exeter and the EU FORCE project. (Press Release University of Exeter) View the full article

Click through to see the images. Last Fish Standing Five fish (along with numerous invertebrates) were found on the grounded 18x3 feet Japanese boat, but the only fish to survive the two year, cross-continent journey was a single 5" tropical striped beakfish (Oplegnathus fasciatus). The lone surviving castaway was found riding inside a 20-30 gallon holding tank. This seafarer somehow managed to survive in this floating aquarium without filtration, temperature regulation, external food source, etc. for several years. Nature finds a way. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officials say this is the first time a vertebrae set adrift by the Japanese tsunami has been found alive. The beakfish is currently at the Seaside Aquarium in Oregon, no doubt in much more comfortable quarters, and we're guessing he's already a mini-celebrity. Officials have yet to positively identify the boat as tsunami debris but its registration shows the boat originated from a region devastated by the waves. While this is a very compelling story of survival and resilience, this beakfish also shows how it's possible for non-native species to cross great divides and potentially threaten foreign ecosystems. The beakfish was discovered in a holding tank on this tattered Japanese fishing boat View the full article

Isolated coral reefs can recover from catastrophic damage as effectively as those with nearby undisturbed neighbours, a long-term study by marine biologists from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (CoECRS) has shown. (2013-04-05) View the full article

Click through to see the images. Scott Reef, a remote coral system in the Indian Ocean, has largely recovered from a catastrophic mass bleaching event in 1998, according to the study published in Science today. The study challenges conventional wisdom that suggested isolated reefs were more vulnerable to disturbance, because they were thought to depend on recolonisation from other reefs. Instead, the scientists found that the isolation of reefs allowed surviving corals to rapidly grow and propagate in the absence of human interference. Australia's largest oceanic reef system, Scott Reef, is relatively isolated, sitting out in the Indian Ocean some 250 km from the remote coastline of north Western Australia (WA). Prospects for the reef looked gloomy when in 1998 it suffered catastrophic mass bleaching, losing around 80% of its coral cover. The study shows that it took just 12 years to recover. Spanning 15 years, data collected and analysed by the researchers shows how after the 1998 mass bleaching the few remaining corals provided low numbers of recruits (new corals) for Scott Reef. On that basis recovery was projected to take decades, yet within 12 years the cover and diversity of corals had recovered to levels similar to those seen pre-bleaching. "The initial projections for Scott Reef were not optimistic," says Dr James Gilmour from AIMS, the lead author on the publication, "because, unlike reefs on the Great Barrier Reef, there were few if any reefs nearby capable of supplying new recruits to replenish the lost corals at Scott Reef. "However, the few small corals that did settle at Scott Reef had excellent rates of survival and growth, whereas on many nearshore reefs high levels of algae and sediment, and poor water quality will often suppress this recovery. "We know from other studies that the resilience of reefs can be improved by addressing human pressures such as water quality and overfishing," says Dr Gilmour. "So it is likely that a key factor in the rapid recovery at Scott Reef was the high water clarity and quality in this remote and offshore location." Dr Andrew Heyward, Principal Research Scientist at AIMS, highlights another conclusion from their findings. "Previously we've tended to factor proximity to other reefs as a key attribute when estimating the resilience of a reef following a major disturbance, but our data suggests that given the right conditions, reefs might do much of the recovery by themselves." This finding could have implications for the management of marine protected areas. In their publication the team also draws attention to the important role played by climate change in the longer-term prospects for coral reefs, as Prof Morgan Pratchett of CoECRS explains. "While it is encouraging to see such clear recovery, we need to be mindful of the fact that the coral recovery at Scott Reef still took over a decade. If, as the climate change trend suggests, we start to see coral bleaching and other related disturbances occurring more frequently, then reefs may experience a ratcheting down effect, never fully recovering before they suffer another major disturbance. "By preventing illegal fishing and enhancing water quality on coral reefs in all regions we will give these reefs a greater capacity to recover from major disturbances." The highly detailed, long-term data set makes Scott Reef the best studied reef in Australia's Indian Ocean territory. The study provides valuable new perspectives on ecosystem function and resilience of coral reefs situated in the northwest Australia, and in other contexts such as the Great Barrier Reef, and illustrates the importance of AIMS' research collaborations with its industry partners. The paper "Recovery of an isolated coral reef system following severe disturbance", by J. P. Gilmour, L. D. Smith, A. J. Heyward, A. H. Baird and M. S. Pratchett will be published online at 5 am by the journal Science on Friday, 5th April, 2013. via Australian Institute of Marine Science View the full article

Do you mean live marine shrimp for feeding ? LCK use to have live mysis once in awhile but i guess not anymore. The other option is to train it to take alternative food or catch yourself in the shore

Click through to see the images. The little crustacean “grazers,” some resembling tiny shrimp, are critical in protecting seagrasses from overgrowth by algae, helping keep these aquatic havens healthy for native and economically important species. Crustaceans are tiny to very large shelled animals that include crab, shrimp, and lobster. The researchers found that these plant-eating animals feast on the nuisance algae that grow on seagrass, ultimately helping maintain the seagrass that provides nurseries for seafood. The grazers also serve as food themselves for animals higher on the food chain. Drifting seaweed, usually thought of as a nuisance, also plays a part in this process, providing an important habitat for the grazing animals that keep the seagrass clean. “Inconspicuous creatures often play big roles in supporting productive ecosystems,” said Matt Whalen, the study’s lead author who conducted this work while at VIMS and is now at the University of California, Davis. “Think of how vital honeybees are for pollinating tree crops or what our soils would look like if we did not have earthworms. In seagrass systems, tiny grazers promote healthy seagrasses by ensuring algae is quickly consumed rather than overgrowing the seagrass. And by providing additional refuge from predators, fleshy seaweeds that drift in and out of seagrass beds can maintain larger grazer populations and enhance their positive impact on seagrass.” USGS scientist Jim Grace, a study coauthor, emphasized that seagrass habitats are also quite beneficial to people. “Not only do these areas serve as nurseries for commercially important fish and shellfish, such as blue crabs, red drum, and some Pacific rockfish, but they also help clean our water and buffer our coastal communities by providing shoreline protection from storms,” Grace said. “These tiny animals, by going about their daily business of grazing, are integral to keeping healthy seagrass beds healthy.” In fact, the authors wrote, if not for the algal munching of these grazers, algae could blanket the seagrasses, blocking out sunlight and preventing them from photosynthesizing, which would ultimately kill the seagrasses. Seagrass declines in some areas are attributed partly to excessive nutrients in water bodies stimulating excessive algal growth on seagrasses. “Coastal managers have been concerned for years about excess fertilizer and sediment loads that hurt seagrasses,” said J. Emmett Duffy of Virginia Institute of Marine Science and coauthor of the study. “Our results provide convincing field evidence that grazing by small animals can be just as important as good water quality in preventing nuisance algae blooms and keeping seagrass beds healthy.” The USGS scientists involved in this study serve as members of a worldwide consortium of researchers examining the health of seagrasses. This research by Virginia Institute of Marine Science and USGS researchers is the first in a series of studies worldwide on seagrass ecosystems. The study, “Temporal shifts in top-down versus bottom-up control of epiphytic algae in a seagrass ecosystem,” was published in the recent issue of Ecology, a journal by the Ecological Society of America. (Press Release: USGS) View the full article

Click through to see the images. The Pacific Sun Hyperion S employs a new proprietary LED panel that does not include any white LEDs. Pacific Sun claims the Hyperion S is the first full spectrum LED light that does not use any white diodes. In addition to the 145 watts of LEDs, two 24W T5 fluorescent bulbs allow owners further customization of the color output. The Hyperion S includes all the bells and whistles of a high-tech LED lighting system such as multi-colored, multi-channel, wirelessly controlled LED unit, all tidily wrapped up in an attractive, slim (less than two inch thick) white housing. We provide the full general specifications below. General Specifications: Size: 600x320x50mm (24x12.5x2") 8 independent LED channels + independent T5 programming 145 watts of LED light 2x24W T5 with parabolic reflectors. Light coverage: Up to 100x80x80cm (40x35x35 inch) "Shallow Water" LED panel technology without the use of any white diodes specially designed for optimal coral growth according to Pacific Sun. Built-in light controller that can be accessed wirelessly via bluetooth. The fixture also includes a backlit blue LCD Display. Users can simulate sunrise / sunset, clouds, weather special programs, etc. Supported software: Win 7/Xp/8, Mac OS X, Android External control (PWM or 1-10V signal) Dual "Ultra Quiet" 80mm fans controlled by a temperature sensor. Mounting: Hanging kits or Pacific Sun "Spider" mount Pacific Sun has remained tight lipped about the exact specifications of their new mutli-colored LED panel, but what we know is that the Hyperon S includes the following LED colors: UV (400 and 420nm) – Made for Pacific Sun Royal Blue 450nm – Cree Royal Blue 465nm - Cree Blue - Cree Cyan – Made for Pacific Sun Green - Cree Amber – Made for Pacific Sun Deep Red – Made for Pacific Sun We will share more information about this fixture when it is available (and hopefully review the unit as well). Here is a LED spectrograph for the Pandora Hyperion S (supplied by Pacific Sun): View the full article

Click through to see the images. Rays of the genus Potamotrygon, the river stingrays, are among the most extraordinary animals that are available to the freshwater aquarist. They are also among the most challenging to keep. While the likelihood of lasting success with these species is considerably greater than that of other rays (whether freshwater, marine or anything in between), a serious attempt to keep them should begin with a large measure of research, planning and patience. This involves: developing an understanding of how these highly specialized creatures have physically and physiologically adapted to their natural environment, and learning how to simulate this environment in a manner that meets the unique needs of each target species. With time and the necessary resources, river stingray keepers can construct a captive environment in which their animals can not only thrive, but in due course reproduce. This piece discusses the morphology, reproduction and husbandry of the river stingrays. A previous piece discussed river stingray classification, distribution, ecology and conservation. Morphology Species of the genusPotamotrygon are roughly average in size among the batoids (i.e., rays and skates), ranging from approximately 25 cm in disc width to 100 cm or more. The smallest species of the genus, P. scobina, reaches 20.5 to 27 cm in disc width; P. brachyura, the largest species of the genus, is known to reach a disc width of as much as 150 cm. Generally, the disc is slightly longer than it is wide. Note that disc width (or DW) and disc length (or DL) are standard measurements of stingrays. Total length is generally not used, given that a portion of the tail is often missing. River stingrays (such as these P. motoro) require a deep bed of fine substrate. Photo by Karel Jakubec. Small openings located on the top of the head (or spiracles) take the place of the mouth to draw water into the gill chambers while resting in the substrate. Photo by Guérin Nicolas. The disc is formed mainly by greatly enlarged pectoral fins, which are fused to the head. Posteriorly it overlaps most of the pelvic fins. Although there are no dorsal or caudal fins, membranous skin folds (or finfolds) are present on both the upper and lower tail midlines. Compared to other members of their family, river stingrays have a tail (or caudal appendage) that is stout and short (typically shorter than disc length). The dorsal surfaces of the disc and tail are often quite spiny, being covered with denticles, thorns and tubercles. Like other stingrays, fishes of this genus have venomous barbs (or caudal stings) located on the dorsal surface of their tails. Stings are hardened sections of dermal tissue with acute distal tips. They are continuously shed and replaced. An individual may bear up to four stings at a time. The sting is well developed in Potamotrygon. It is comprised of a spine, an integumentary sheath and venom glands. The spine, which gives the surface of the sting its stiffness, is composed of dentin. It contains several small, lateral serrations oriented toward the base. Special glands at the base produce venom that is carried along longitudinal grooves. When the spine is relaxed, it rests on a wedge-shaped piece of tissue that keeps it bathed in venom and mucus. Most potamotrygonids bear highly distinctive markings. These include various spots, reticulations and ocelli under a grey, black or brown background coloration. Patterns of pigmentation are presumed to be species-specific. Reproduction The Potamotrygonidae are similar to marine elasmobranchs in that they are characterized by late maturation, slow growth and low fecundity. The hydrologic cycle appears to exert an appreciable influence on the reproductive cycle of potamotrygonids. Studies suggest that the reproductive cycle includes a resting interval in at least some populations. As males reach spawning condition, they begin to seek out and chase females. Courtship can become violent, particularly if a chosen female is unreceptive to a male's advances; males will resort to biting and wrestling in order to assume a belly-to-belly position. Copulation transpires quickly, with the male inserting a clasper into the female's cloaca and releasing milt. If a successful fertilization occurs, the oviduct undergoes changes that allow it to function as a uterus. Barbs on the caudle sting (as on this P. henlei) cause severe exit wounds that are highly susceptible to infection. Photo by Stan Shebs. Just after birthing, females may be removed from a breeding group for a recovery period. Photo by Steven G. Johnson. Sexing adult river stingrays is uncomplicated; as in other chondrichthyans, males (left) can be identified by the presence of claspers on their pelvic fins. Illustration by Rafael Ruivo. All known freshwater stingrays employ a reproductive strategy called matrotrophic viviparity, wherewith uterine milk (or histotrophe) secreted by specialized uterine filaments (or trophonemata) nourishes the developing embryo during gestation. Gestation may take place either intermittently or throughout the year. The gestation period is variable among wild populations, lasting from 3-12 months; however, in captive populations, this stage generally lasts from 9-12 months. The birthing season can last from 3-4 months. Depending upon species, environmental conditions and the fitness of the mother, the number of offspring produced from each gestation is usually from 2-7, though litters as large as 15 have been reported. The pups are born live and are fully formed. In captivity, pups are best transferred immediately after birth to a dedicated system for solitary grow-out. Absorption of the yolk sac lasts up to 7 days. By this time, pups can be offered a variety of live and frozen foods. With proper nutrition, excellent water quality and ample living space, growth is rapid. Husbandry One of the most important elements of a river stingray aquarium is the tank itself. Here, the best tank is a big tank. Some sources recommend minimum tank volumes of 90 gallons. Even so, one would do best to use a volume of 120 gallons or more. A "long" tank is preferable to a "tall" tank, as the inhabitants will make better use of horizontal (i.e., bottom) space than vertical space. Thus, even the smaller species need a minimum tank size of 48 in long x 30 in wide x 20 in tall per trio (i.e., one male and two females). A river stingray aquarium should have a sandy substrate. The sand bed should be deep enough that the rays can completely bury themselves (i.e., such that only their eyes will be visible). Sub-gravel heaters should never be used, as they may burn the animal. Conventional heaters (either submersible or non-submersible) should instead be used, albeit with a protective cover (such as a Hagen® heater guard). As river stingrays are somewhat sensitive to suboptimal water conditions, they require highly effectual water treatment/filtration. Only an efficient biofilter (such as a trickle filter with high surface area media) should be relied upon to carry out biofiltration. Aggressive mechanical filtration (and frequent cleaning of sponges/pads) is advisable, as rays can be unusually messy eaters. Chemical filtration (particularly those types that remove metals) can be very useful in protecting the animals from contaminants and bioaccumulations. Because river stingrays (such as this P. leopoldi) have relatively small mouths, some food items are best chopped down to a manageable size. Photo by Noel Weathers. It is said that South American natives fear stingrays (such as this P. hystrix) more than they do the piranha. Photo by Jim Capaldi. River stingrays are not especially territorial; provided that a large enough aquarium is used, they may be kept in groups or with certain other types of fish. They cohabitate especially well with surface dwelling fishes such as gars, which tend to stay out of their way. They should not be housed with aggressive or nippy fishes such as piranhas, puffers and certain cichlids. Caution should be exercised if they are to be housed with plecos (e.g., Plecostomus sp.), which tend to irritate them by sucking at their disc. While fast and flighty little fishes such as tetras will generally be safe, river stingrays will eat any small fish that they can catch. River stingrays benefit from a highly varied diet. They may be offered some combination of live items such as blackworms, earthworms (chopped), bloodworms, ghost shrimp and/or grass shrimp, with frozen items such as clam, mussel, silversides, krill and/or mysis shrimp. Great care must be taken at all times when handling stingrays. It is far more preferable to capture them with a bucket or bowl than with a net. Never lose sight of these animals when handling or working around them. River stingray injuries are extremely painful and potentially life threatening. If a blood vessel is punctured, apply hard pressure directly to the wound to minimize any bleeding. The affected area should immediately be placed under water that is as hot as the victim can tolerate. After most of the pain has subsided, the wound can be cleaned by way of Betadineâ„¢ treatment followed by a rinse with disinfectant soap. Then--no matter how minor the injury appears to be--seek immediate medical attention. The examination should include radiology to locate any fragments of the sting that may be embedded in the wound. Return to the physician at the first sign of any infection. Though river stingrays are not a major target of the ornamental fishery in the State of Amazonas, they are credited with helping to increase sales of the cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi). Photo by Axel Rouvin. A beautiful example of Potamotrygon sp. pearl. Photo by www.stingraywebshop.com. Conclusion Stingrays of the genus Potamotrygon can be stunning aquarium animals. While they have a much better record of captive survivability than other batoids, their husbandry is hardly undemanding or uncomplicated. In actual fact, properly caring for these unusual creatures requires a considerable amount of preparation and resources. Moreover, one must take precautions to avoid serious injury while handling or working around them. Still, a healthy river stingray is an exceptionally fascinating, beautiful creature and is definitely worth the extra effort. The relative ease with which Potamotrygon spp. can be successfully bred and reared makes them even more appealing. Breeding river stingrays is not only an interesting (and potentially very lucrative) activity, but is also important for conservation efforts in that it reduces demand for wild-caught specimens. With growing commercial production, one could hope that more river stingray species and varieties may be available to home aquarists in the very near future. Sources Kuba, Michael J., Ruth A. Byrne and Gordon M. Burghardt. (2010). A new method for studying problem solving and tool use in stingrays (Potamotrygon castexi). Animal Cognition, 13(3), 507-513. Toffoli, Daniel, Tomas Hrbek, Maria Lúcia Góes de Araújo, Maurício Pinto de Almeida, Patricia Charvet-Almeida. (2008). A test of the utility of DNA barcoding in the radiation of the freshwater stingray genus Potamotrygon (Potamotrygonidae, Myliobatiformes). Genetics and Molecular Biology 31(1), 1-116. de Araújo, Maria, Lúcia Góes, Patricia Charvet-Almeida, Mauricio Pinto de Almeida and Henrique Pereira, Brazil. (2004). Conservation perspectives and management challenges for freshwater stingrays. Ichthyology at the Florida Museum of Natural History. 14, 10-12. Charvet-Almeida, Patricia, Maria Lúcia Góes de Araújo, Ricardo S. Rosa and Getúlio Rincón. (2002). Neotropical Freshwater Stingrays: diversity and conservation status. Ichthyology at the Florida Museum of Natural History. 14, 10-12. de Araújo, Maria, Lúcia Góes, Patricia Charvet-Almeida, Mauricio Pinto de Almeida and Henrique Pereira, Brazil. (2004). Conservation perspectives and management challenges for freshwater stingrays. Ichthyology at the Florida Museum of Natural History. 14, 10-12. Charvet-Almeida, Patricia, Maria Lúcia Góes de Araújo, Ricardo S. Rosa and Getúlio Rincón. (2002). Neotropical Freshwater Stingrays: diversity and conservation status. Ichthyology at the Florida Museum of Natural History. 14, 1-4. http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172190 http://fishbase.org/summary/FamilySummary.php?ID=21 http://www.cites.org/common/com/ac/20/e20-inf-08.pdf http://www.raylady.com/Potamotrygon View the full article

Click through to see the images. The following content is via LumaTank's Kickstarter page (reprinted with permission). Please visit their Kickstarter page if you would like to financially support this crowd-sourced venture. Introducing the LumaTank The LumaTank (Patent Pending) is a unique 6" cube LED edge-lit fish tank made from precision laser cut and engraved cast acrylic, designed and created by Divine Acrylics. The LumaTank is an acrylic tank surrounded by eye-catching light that makes your fish the center of attention. LEDs uniquely light your tank in any single color or choose the optional RGB controller and you can change colors and even control color patterns, brightness and turn the tank on and off. Why a betta tank? Betta fish are hardy and inexpensive to purchase and take care of. They are a hardy fish that can be found at most pet stores. They can live at room temperature without a heater, aerator, or filter. You just need to clean the tank once a week. Betta fish are popular with children who enjoy watching the fish and appreciate the LumaTank as a night light. LumaTanks are equally popular with professionals who want to add a little life -- and light -- in their dull cubicles or offices. Why do we need the money? We need to take this product to the next level and fund materials, manufacturing, packaging, marketing, and sales. LED edge-lit betta fish tanks are not cheap to make, particularly in small quantities. We currently build individual tanks from minimum lots of materials, which include acrylic, LED strips, power supplies, adhesive, and silicon. Our laser cutting / engraving and hand-manufacturing process is time-consuming and expensive. We laser cut, laser engrave, and hand assemble each LumaTank right here in the good old USA. Our goal is to employ a US-based company for our first mass produced batch of LumaTanks. We are currently in the process of working with many different tank manufacturers, by outsourcing the manufacturing we can greatly reduce the price of the LumaTank but with mass production comes more cost to us. What's so different about these? To begin with, most betta fish tanks have no lights at all. With our LED acrylic edge lit betta fish tanks they are surrounded by light that attracts the eye and makes your fish the center of attention. When we came up with the idea for the LumaTank we scoured the web and, in a short amount of time we realized that there's nothing like this on the market! The best part is if we add an RGB controller then you can have your own color changing fish tank, very cool. Where are we now? We have been designing, cutting, engraving and building Lumatanks for the past 6 months now. We have decided on the size, design, materials, & LED's that we want to use. Since we make everything in house (except for the LED's) we are at a good point where we can sell these on a small scale. But that's not our goal, we want to get these tanks on retail shelves and into your hands. We really need this funding to make this product readily available at a low price point. We could keep doing this at the level that we are currently, but we don't want to. We really believe in the LumaTank and think that it is worthy to be created on a much grander scale then what we are currently capable of doing. So what's in it for you? You can be among the first LumaTank owners. At the same time, you can help us bring a great idea to reality. Look to the right and review our list of rewards and price levels. Just figure out how much you want to contribute and the reward you would like to receive. We have worked long and hard designing and creating the LumaTank. With your help, we can take our unique betta fish tank design to the next level! We've got some press... We've already been featured on a few websites. Here are some excerpts from a few articles from the sites "Dude!!! I Want That" and ArchiEli.com. They seem to really like the LumaTank. "Betta fish have all the luck. They enjoy a completely acceptable sedentary lifestyle of floating and feeding, they never have to share their personal space with other fish, and now, thanks to Rob Young and Denny Curtis of Red Laser Studios, they can live in the sickest crib of all aquarium dwellers. In their new series of LumaTanks, Young and Curtis laser cut and engrave 6" x 6" acrylic Betta dwellings in swell geometric patterns, and then edge light them with white or neon LEDs. The resultant effect: entrancing. Especially once the furniture and the tank's inhabitant move in." Read More "LumaTank LEDs uniquely light your tank in any single color. With an optional RGB controller, you can change colors and even control light patterns. Another exclusive feature is that Lumatanks are created with optional laser engraving. The LumaTanks sells with four standard engraved designs, but they can be produced with customized images. This gives the Lumatank a 100% unique look and feel." Read More How does Kickstarter work? We have only 30 days to reach our goal, so PLEASE click the "Back This Project" button to support us now! Then, enter your generous donation and select the appropriate reward. (Kickstarter accepts Amazon payments.) If we get $10K within 30 days, Kickstarter will charge your credit card with the amount you selected and we will ship your rewards. If we don't reach our goal, you will not be charged and, regrettably, we will not ship a reward to you. Thank you! Please help us fund this project so that anyone can enjoy our beautiful, colorful and tranquil LumaTanks! Thank you for your support! Risks and challenges The risks are low considering that we already have the tools and know how to produce these. The only risks involved are finding a local or regional manufacturer with the ability to produce custom acrylic fish tanks. If we cannot find a local manufacturer then we may have to outsource it to a company overseas. This would help to keep the cost down, but our first goal is to have them made in the USA. We currently produce the tanks through our company Divine Acrylics and we also sell them on our site (www.divineacrylics.com). Visit the LumaTank Kickstarter webpage for more information, to ask questions, or pledge financial support. View the full article

Click through to see the images. The following content is via LumaTank's Kickstarter page (reprinted with permission). Please visit their Kickstarter page if you would like to financially support this crowd-sourced venture. Introducing the LumaTank The LumaTank (Patent Pending) is a unique 6" cube LED edge-lit fish tank made from precision laser cut and engraved cast acrylic, designed and created by Divine Acrylics. The LumaTank is an acrylic tank surrounded by eye-catching light that makes your fish the center of attention. LEDs uniquely light your tank in any single color or choose the optional RGB controller and you can change colors and even control color patterns, brightness and turn the tank on and off. Why a betta tank? Betta fish are hardy and inexpensive to purchase and take care of. They are a hardy fish that can be found at most pet stores. They can live at room temperature without a heater, aerator, or filter. You just need to clean the tank once a week. Betta fish are popular with children who enjoy watching the fish and appreciate the LumaTank as a night light. LumaTanks are equally popular with professionals who want to add a little life -- and light -- in their dull cubicles or offices. Why do we need the money? We need to take this product to the next level and fund materials, manufacturing, packaging, marketing, and sales. LED edge-lit betta fish tanks are not cheap to make, particularly in small quantities. We currently build individual tanks from minimum lots of materials, which include acrylic, LED strips, power supplies, adhesive, and silicon. Our laser cutting / engraving and hand-manufacturing process is time-consuming and expensive. We laser cut, laser engrave, and hand assemble each LumaTank right here in the good old USA. Our goal is to employ a US-based company for our first mass produced batch of LumaTanks. We are currently in the process of working with many different tank manufacturers, by outsourcing the manufacturing we can greatly reduce the price of the LumaTank but with mass production comes more cost to us. What's so different about these? To begin with, most betta fish tanks have no lights at all. With our LED acrylic edge lit betta fish tanks they are surrounded by light that attracts the eye and makes your fish the center of attention. When we came up with the idea for the LumaTank we scoured the web and, in a short amount of time we realized that there's nothing like this on the market! The best part is if we add an RGB controller then you can have your own color changing fish tank, very cool. Where are we now? We have been designing, cutting, engraving and building Lumatanks for the past 6 months now. We have decided on the size, design, materials, & LED's that we want to use. Since we make everything in house (except for the LED's) we are at a good point where we can sell these on a small scale. But that's not our goal, we want to get these tanks on retail shelves and into your hands. We really need this funding to make this product readily available at a low price point. We could keep doing this at the level that we are currently, but we don't want to. We really believe in the LumaTank and think that it is worthy to be created on a much grander scale then what we are currently capable of doing. So what's in it for you? You can be among the first LumaTank owners. At the same time, you can help us bring a great idea to reality. Look to the right and review our list of rewards and price levels. Just figure out how much you want to contribute and the reward you would like to receive. We have worked long and hard designing and creating the LumaTank. With your help, we can take our unique betta fish tank design to the next level! We've got some press... We've already been featured on a few websites. Here are some excerpts from a few articles from the sites "Dude!!! I Want That" and ArchiEli.com. They seem to really like the LumaTank. "Betta fish have all the luck. They enjoy a completely acceptable sedentary lifestyle of floating and feeding, they never have to share their personal space with other fish, and now, thanks to Rob Young and Denny Curtis of Red Laser Studios, they can live in the sickest crib of all aquarium dwellers. In their new series of LumaTanks, Young and Curtis laser cut and engrave 6" x 6" acrylic Betta dwellings in swell geometric patterns, and then edge light them with white or neon LEDs. The resultant effect: entrancing. Especially once the furniture and the tank's inhabitant move in." Read More "LumaTank LEDs uniquely light your tank in any single color. With an optional RGB controller, you can change colors and even control light patterns. Another exclusive feature is that Lumatanks are created with optional laser engraving. The LumaTanks sells with four standard engraved designs, but they can be produced with customized images. This gives the Lumatank a 100% unique look and feel." Read More How does Kickstarter work? We have only 30 days to reach our goal, so PLEASE click the "Back This Project" button to support us now! Then, enter your generous donation and select the appropriate reward. (Kickstarter accepts Amazon payments.) If we get $10K within 30 days, Kickstarter will charge your credit card with the amount you selected and we will ship your rewards. If we don't reach our goal, you will not be charged and, regrettably, we will not ship a reward to you. Thank you! Please help us fund this project so that anyone can enjoy our beautiful, colorful and tranquil LumaTanks! Thank you for your support! Risks and challenges The risks are low considering that we already have the tools and know how to produce these. The only risks involved are finding a local or regional manufacturer with the ability to produce custom acrylic fish tanks. If we cannot find a local manufacturer then we may have to outsource it to a company overseas. This would help to keep the cost down, but our first goal is to have them made in the USA. We currently produce the tanks through our company Divine Acrylics and we also sell them on our site (www.divineacrylics.com). Visit the LumaTank Kickstarter webpage for more information, to ask questions, or pledge financial support. View the full article

Check with reef systems on the sponsor section whom is one of our sponsor here. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Click through to see the images. Download your free copy today. This issue features the following articles: In the next part of his In The Fishroom series Mo Devlin of Aquamojo discusses his passion for large neotropical cichlids. Marine afishinado Aaron Sewell takes us on a tour of the small polyped stony corals (SPS) corals from the family Acroporidae. Reef-Expert Sara Allyn Mavinkurve discusses what NOT to keep in our reef tanks. Australian native fish expert Dave Wilson, from Aquagreen.com.au details his attempts to breed Redigobius nanus, a small goby from the Northern Territory in Australia. We present a factfile on the Orange-lined triggerfish. View the full article

Click through to see the images. Oftentimes found growing symbiotically with several cyanobacteria species, Terpios hoshinota smothers coral and other immobilized organisms as it spreads. Up until recently, it was found only in the Pacific Island range of Guam to the northwestern Pacific. However, researchers Voodg, Cleary, and Dekker found it for the first time in Java and they report their findings in the latest issue of Coral Reefs. During diving expeditions in 2011 and 2012, Voogd's team searched for this sponge on several Indonesian reefs. In most of the areas they did not find it. However, they did find it when diving in the Thousand Islands, Java, photos of which are seen above. They confirmed its identity using DNA sequencing and through examination of the sponge's spicules. Normally this sponge is only found in stressed, polluted areas, and the Thousand Islands has recently gone through a number of stress events causing coral in those areas to be in a poor state of health. Voogd's team stresses it is important to continue monitoring the situation as this sponge may continue advancing, causing destruction to other area reefs. (Via Coral Reefs) View the full article

Click through to see the images. View the full article

Click through to see the images. The sponge's name is Smenospongia aurea. It ranges from a tan to green coloration and oftentimes grows in massive colonies with oscular mounds or openings where water passes through the sponge's structure. Smenospongia aurea, courtesy NOAA The compound in question is 5-Bromo-DMT and is a brominated indole alkaloid found in select marine sponges, including S. aurea. 5-Br-DMT is similar in structure to dimethyltryptamine (DMT), which is known as a psychedelic drug that can produce mild "trippy" experiences to experiences were reality is completely suspended. "Dr. Osculus" actually self-medicated himself with the compound so as to ascertain its efficacy, which is caused some ridicule in his laboratory as the normal protocol is to test psychedelic compounds on rats instead. He tried both smoking it and direct ingestion of the compound in various dosages and recorded his experiences: ... (with 40 mg, smoked) I closed my eyes and found myself drifting through the ocean on an ice floe shaped like a puzzle piece. There is a silkennig of my own (somewhat bristly) hair, and am thereish but not quite there. Very light and nonaggressive, nonnauseating. Drugs such as this are aptly described as 'serenic." One other thing is he didn't actually isolate the compound from S. aureus, even though the sponge contains the compound. Instead, he used other compounds from the sponge as a template and instead synthesized 5-Br-DMT in the lab. His reasoning was the extraction process was too intensive and economically unfeasible. (via The Scuttlefish and Vice) View the full article

Click through to see the images. The aquarium's solution was to introduce 15 Pacific bluefin tuna to the huge 5 meters (16ft.) tall by 14 meters (46ft.) wide tank. Without predators, the sardines simply got too comfortable with habitat and became lax with their schooling defenses. Aquarium officials hope the additional predators will scare the sardines back into formation. If not, officials may consider adding sailfish to the exhibit as well. If you've wondered why your anthias aren't schooling or why your chromis aren't huddled in the branches of Acropora, it's likely because they've grown too comfortable with their environment. While predators obviously stress prey, sometimes the lack of threat for these dither fish causes them not only to drop their defensive mechanisms but also encourage them to misbehaves (e.g. become aggressive) against their own kind. And studies have shown that fish kept in un-stimulating aquariums grow increasingly more stupid. Clearly, no fishkeeper is going to introduce predators into their aquariums to threaten ... and eat their expensive fish (It's like shooting fish in a barrel for the predators). But maybe a little artificial threat might not be bad for aquariums with smaller fish - especially if they are "misbehaving." Aquarists may want to try showing images or videos of predators in front of their aquariums to visually scare (for lack of better word) their fish. Fish are also very responsive to smells (Read about the Olfaction in Aquarium Fishes). Perhaps the scent of predators such as groupers housed in attached refugiums can induce small fish to exhibit their natural defensive behaviors. FYI: When sardines do their thing, this is what the pilchard tornado should look like. [Via Rocketnews24 via The Asahi Shimubun Digital (Japanese)] View the full article

There is a few brand in the market but generally it works Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

No one is stopping you to ask question, and we did not flame you because of this .We are out here trying to help this hobby, but we cant tolerate people who don't contribute but giving remarks when all the information is already there since 2011. If i have learnt i teach, if i have been given i give back to the community and this is what i learn.

BFG, you are a mods in AQ as well , and i believe your main role is to promote the hobby helping newbie on their journey in the hobby and not focusing on answering to each and every moderation decision you made to every members . All question has been self answered isn't it ? Since it is all along being found on the TOTQ section since 2011 ? Yes, the overall local aquarium trade is not as good as before and the last thing we need is another wet blanket.

Looking good. What skimmer are you using? Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Filter bag can filter particles up to micron and some online site even said that it is so fine that it can even filter off parasites in the water. However, the bad side of it tends to choke easily so prepare to take it out to wash regularly. Hope it helps Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Did u notice a funga on its mouth ? Maybe if u can show us a pics will be helpful. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Coral farm come in these once in awhile. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Where are all the suggestion when we needed it most when we started the TOTQ again in year 2011 ? We have 2000 over view on that thread but only a few suggestion ? Not until someone started a topic that we are biased toward sps tank winner that we have so many feedback pouring in pointing out error ect... When is your last time you offer some good advice to newbie in the community that asked for help ? Come on, this is a reefing community and not a political community. Our mission here is to promote the hobby , and share the knowledge of upkeeing a sucssessful marine tank. We try our best to be open to idea but where is it when we needed it most ? We can't answer to all every members in the community here for everything we do cos that would be a government job ? Our mission here is just to promote the hobby ,share proper knowledge to encourage more people taking up this hobby, and no one paid a membership fees to join SRC. This hobby are make up of hobbist , LFS and related dry goods shop so what is wrong if we patronize one of the favorite shop or products and show our appreciation toward them ? I bet every reefer have their favorite LFS or shop which they patronize, dont you ?. It is up to oneself to decide if that shop or products is worth patronizing. If you read the section clearly , only two of the TOTQ are awarded with prizes and they only obtained the winning prizes after being featured. None of the winner even mention the sponsored products in their own winning thread . The sponsor are taking out from their own pocket in view of promoting the hobby through the TOTQ just like us and may expect nothing in return. The local reefing scene is already very small, and we had already see some of our favourite LFS like reborn, harlequin marine ect closing their business last few year , and the last thing we want to see is another one our favorite LFS suffering the same fate so please reef on.